You Were Meant For Me (Wishful 10)
Amusement had the corners of her mouth kicking into a full-on smile. “He’s got that Red Grant vibe minus the British, right? But really, he’s not a hit man. He’s ex-CIA.”
“I cannot tell you how hot it is that you know your Bond movies. That aside, what Kane is is a scary son of a bitch, who I don’t want coming after me because I laid a hand on his boss’s only daughter. Even though I didn’t know she was his daughter at the time.”
She sobered. “Would it have made a difference if you had known?”
He drew her in again, lacing his hands at the small of her back and rubbing lazy circles along her spine with his thumb. “I’d have maybe not jumped quite so quick, but I don’t think I could’ve stayed away. Because I think this pull would’ve been there regardless.”
“Then I’m glad you didn’t know. Because I wouldn’t change a single thing about our week together. Except for how it ended.”
“Water under the bridge, baby. We’re starting a new one now.”
“If we’re going to make the most of it, we need a legitimate reason to spend time together that no one would suspect.”
Mitch angled his head, a slow smile spreading across his face. “I’ve got an idea.”
“Mr. Peyton will see you now.”
Mitch nodded to Louis. Like the rest of the family, he’d met Trey’s frighteningly efficient PA, but he’d never had cause to go through him for a formal appointment before. He hoped Tess was right about this setting the right tone for the request. He hoped a whole helluva a lot because it felt like his future was riding on this.
Hours had passed since he’d left Tess this morning to shower, shave, and make himself presentable. She’d had meetings, and she’d insisted she needed the chance to update her dad on the London project she was wrapping up, so that he’d be suitably impressed before they made their pitch. Mitch had a hard time imagining anyone not being impressed with her. Particularly after he’d tossed the idea at her and watched her run with it. She and Norah had that capability in common. Mitch hoped that was another point in their favor.
As he came into the room, Trey rose from where he’d been perched on the edge of the desk. “Mitch. It was a surprise to see you on my schedule this afternoon.”
He nodded at the older man, eyes automatically tracking to Tess making more tea at the sideboard before he could drag his gaze back. “Well, I had a business proposition to discuss, so I figured I’d go through the proper channels.”
“Business? Color me intrigued. You want coffee or anything?”
“No sir, I’m good.”
“Then have a seat.” Trey gestured toward the grouping of sofa and chairs.
Mitch dropped onto one end of the sofa, hoping Tess would take up the other. He couldn’t touch her, hardly dared even look at her in front of her father, but he liked knowing she was close. Clasping his hands, Mitch leaned forward and focused on Trey. “I think it’s fair to say that Wishful has been something of a pet project for you. I figure a large part of that is because of Aunt Sandy, but either way, you and your company have had a significant impact on the revitalization of the town.”
Trey angled his head in concession of the point.
“Now I know you and Norah have ended up focusing more on the rural tourism side of things, and that’s been good. But there’s more that could be done.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“I think you should buy the old Heirloom Home Furnishings factory.”
Trey’s brows shot up. “Why?”
Mitch had intended to say something about the revitalization of what had once been a cornerstone of Wishful’s economy. Instead, he thought about Miranda and the bruises that had barely faded. He hadn’t even been there and yet, from secondhand accounts alone, the images of that final standoff with her kidnapper, inside the old factory, were vivid and unshakable. “Because the last thing to happen there was ugly and horrible and traumatic, and I either want to turn it into something that will benefit the town, or I want to raze it to the ground. At the risk of being accused of using family connections, you have the resources to do that.”
He felt rather than saw Tess’s questioning gaze. He hadn’t mentioned that part to her this morning, but it was driving him as much as the desire to spend time with her.
Sympathy flashed across Trey’s features. “I do. And your sentiment is understandable. But what do you propose I do with it? None of our holdings are in manufacturing.”
“I think you should turn into something else entirely. It’s a good space. Big and solidly built. Once the last of the machinery is pulled, it could be retrofitted and divided up, and I think it could make a fantastic small business incubator.” Mitch glanced toward Tess again as she crossed with a mug. “I got the idea because of something your daughter said, and it’s been kicking around in my brain ever since.” No reason to mention that was longer than last night.
“A small business incubator?” Trey directed this at Tess, who lowered to the sofa with her tea.
Mitch felt the small shift of the cushions and fought not to lean toward her. But he swore he could feel the heat of her from three feet away.
“It’s something I had intended to talk to you about in the future.” She paused, and Mitch tried not to watch as she crossed those long legs, deliberately taking time to seemingly gather the thoughts for the speech she already had down cold. “We’re in a unique position to provide the space and expertise to assist small businesses in getting off the ground. As you well know, that’s harder and harder for them to do in today’s economy. Innovation is a key to longevity, but a lot of businesses lose out because they just can’t afford the overhead or support staff or the space to really weather getting to that point. We could do that. We could help build businesses that will properly support their local economies in an organic way that direct investment just doesn’t. I hadn’t thought about doing it here until Mitch mentioned it, but the idea has merit. We could set up something like that in Wishful on a smaller scale as a test case for something broader down the line. In the current climate of anti-mono
poly sentiment, that would be not only good business but good press. Something for the non-profit arm of the company. Or venture capital, if you prefer to go that route.”